Virtual network optimizing a physical network

Abstract

One or more devices are configured to receive information regarding network devices associated with a physical network. The one or more devices are configured further to generate configuration data based on the information regarding the network devices. The one or more devices are configured further to generate a virtual network based on the configuration data. The one or more devices are configured to send information regarding the virtual network to a client device. The one or more devices are configured to receive a change to the virtual network from the client device; and cause a change, corresponding to the change in the virtual network, to occur in the physical network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device comprising:
 a memory; and 
 one or more processors, coupled to the memory, to: 
 receive information regarding network devices associated with a physical network, 
 the information regarding the network devices including: 
 protocols associated with the network devices, 
 services associated with the network devices, 
 policies associated with the network devices, 
 interface types associated with the network devices, 
 connectivity information associated with the network devices, and 
 quality of service (QoS) information associated with the network devices; 
 generate virtual network configuration data based on the information regarding the network devices; 
 configure one or more virtual machines based on the virtual network configuration data, 
 the one or more virtual machines utilizing control plane software that is the same as control plane software utilized by the network devices; 
 initiate the one or more virtual machines by sending commands to the one or more virtual machines; 
 generate a virtual network based on initiating the one or more virtual machines, 
 the virtual network emulating the physical network, based on a particular amount of network traffic associated with the physical network during a particular period of time, by configuring the virtual network based on the particular amount of network traffic during the particular period of time; 
 send information regarding the virtual network to a client device, 
 the information regarding the virtual network including a visual representation of the virtual network, and 
 the visual representation including graphical information describing the virtual network; 
 receive a change to the virtual network from the client device, 
 the change being received based on an interaction, with the visual representation, received by the client device; 
 provide, to the client device, a simulation result associated with the change to virtual network, 
 the simulation result including a recommendation regarding a physical change, corresponding to the change to the virtual network, in the physical network; and 
 cause the physical change, corresponding to the change to the virtual network, to occur to the one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 configure a first virtual machine to perform functions associated with a first network device, 
 the first network device being one of the network devices associated with the physical network; 
 configure a second virtual machine to perform functions associated with a second network device, 
 the second network device being another one of the network devices associated with the physical network; and 
 generate the virtual network based on configuring the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine, 
 the virtual network being formed using the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. 
 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 configure a first virtual machine to perform a first function associated with a particular network device, 
 the particular network device being one of the network devices associated with the physical network; 
 configure a second virtual machine to perform a second function associated with the particular network device; and 
 generate the virtual network based on configuring the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine, 
 the virtual network being formed using the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. 
 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 configure the one or more virtual machines based on the connectivity information; and 
 generate the virtual network based on configuring the one or more virtual machines, 
 the virtual network being formed using the one or more virtual machines. 
 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 receive topology information associated with the physical network and configuration information for the network devices, 
 the topology information identifying a topology of the physical network, and 
 the configuration information including configuration files associated with the network devices. 
 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 receive another change to the virtual network from the client device; and 
 cause another physical change, corresponding to the other change to the virtual network, to occur to the one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network. 
 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6 , where the other physical change includes removing a first network device from the physical network, or adding a second network device to the physical network. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a device, information regarding network devices associated with a physical network, 
 the information regarding the network devices including: 
 protocols associated with the network devices, 
 services associated with the network devices, 
 policies associated with the network devices, 
 interface types associated with the network devices, 
 connectivity information associated with the network devices, and 
 quality of service (QoS) information associated with the network devices; 
 generating, by the device, virtual network configuration data based on the information regarding the network devices; 
 configuring, by the device, a plurality of virtual machines, within a data center, based on the virtual network configuration data, 
 the plurality of virtual machines utilizing control plane software that is the same as control plane software utilized by the network devices; 
 initiating, by the device, the plurality of virtual machines by sending commands to the plurality of virtual machines; 
 generating, by the device, a virtual network based on initiating the plurality of virtual machines, 
 the virtual network emulating the physical network, based on a particular amount of network traffic associated with the physical network during a particular period of time, by configuring the virtual network based on the particular amount of network traffic during the particular period of time; 
 sending, by the device, information regarding the virtual network to a client device, 
 the information regarding the virtual network including graphical information describing the virtual network; 
 receiving, by the device, a change to the virtual network from the client device, 
 the change being received based on one or more changes, to the graphical information, received by the client device; 
 causing, by the device, the change to occur within the data center; 
 providing, by the device and to the client device, a simulation result associated with causing the change to occur within the data center, 
 the simulation result including a recommendation regarding a physical change, corresponding to the change to the virtual network, in the physical network; and 
 causing, by the device, the physical change, corresponding to the change to the virtual network, to occur to one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network based on providing the simulation result. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 causing a plurality of physical changes to occur to a plurality of the network devices associated with the physical network. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 modifying a topology of the physical network based on the physical change. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving a particular change to the virtual network from the client device; and 
 causing another physical change, corresponding to the particular change to the virtual network, to occur to the one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network,
 the other physical change including causing a routing protocol or a firewall protocol, associated with the physical network, to change. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , where generating the virtual network configuration data includes:
 generating the virtual network configuration data based on configuration file information, regarding the network devices associated with the physical network, and based on topology information of the physical network. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 configuring the plurality of virtual machines based on the connectivity information; and 
 generating the virtual network based on configuring the plurality of virtual machines. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of one or more devices, cause the one or more processors to: 
 receive information regarding network devices associated with a physical network, 
 the information regarding the network devices including: 
 protocols associated with the network devices, 
 services associated with the network devices, 
 policies associated with the network devices, 
 interface types associated with the network devices, 
 connectivity information associated with the network devices, and 
 quality of service (QoS) information associated with the network devices; 
 generate virtual network configuration data based on the information regarding the network devices; 
 configure one or more virtual machines based on the virtual network configuration data, 
 the one or more virtual machines utilizing control plane software that is the same as control plane software utilized by the network devices; 
 initiate the one or more virtual machines by sending commands to the one or more virtual machines; 
 generate a virtual network based on initiating the one or more virtual machines, 
 the virtual network emulating the physical network, based on a particular amount of network traffic associated with the physical network during a particular period of time, by configuring the virtual network based on the particular amount of network traffic during the particular period of time; 
 send information regarding the virtual network to a client device, 
 the information regarding the virtual network including graphical information describing the virtual network; 
 receive a change to the virtual network from the client device, 
 the change being received based on the client device receiving a modification to a connections, of the graphical information, between the network devices; 
 provide, to the client device, a simulation result associated with the change to the virtual network, 
 the simulation result including a recommendation regarding a physical change, corresponding to the change to the virtual network, in the physical network; and 
 permit the physical change, corresponding to the change to the virtual network, to occur to the one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , where the instructions further comprise:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 configure a first virtual machine, of the one or more virtual machines, and a second virtual machine, of the one or more virtual machines, to perform functions associated with a first network device,
 the first network device being one of the network devices associated with physical network; and 
 
 generate the virtual network using the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , where the instructions further comprise:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 configure a first virtual machine, of the one or more virtual machines, to perform a first function associated with a particular network device,
 the particular network device being one of the network devices associated with the physical network; 
 
 configure a second virtual machine, of the one or more virtual machines, to perform a second function associated with the particular network device; and 
 generate the virtual network based on the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , where the instructions further comprise:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive information regarding configuration information for the network devices; and 
 receive topology information associated with the physical network. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , where the instructions further comprise:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive another change to the virtual network; and 
 cause another physical change, corresponding to the other change to the virtual network, to occur to the one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , where the other physical change includes removing a first network device, from the physical network, or adding a second network device to the physical network. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , where the instructions further comprise:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive another change to the virtual network,
 the other change being a modification of a topology of the virtual network; and 
 
 cause another physical change, corresponding to the other change to the virtual network, to occur to the one or more of the network devices associated with the physical network.